Access to information

Under the data protection law you are entitled to obtain certain personal information that an organisation holds about you.

Subject to certain important exemptions, you are entitled:

• to be informed whether personal information about you is being processed by us
• to be given a description of any such information
• to be advised of the purposes for which that information is being processed and
• to be advised of the people to whom the information may be disclosed

In addition, you are entitled to have the content of the information communicated to you and to be told of the source of the information, if known. For further information, see the SCTS Privacy Notice.

Know your rights

We have created a guide called ‘know your data protection rights’ to help you understand your data protection rights in relation to personal data SCTS processes about you. We recommend that this guidance is read alongside the relevant privacy notice to help you understand what rights are applicable to the specific processing SCTS is undertaking and whether any exemptions may apply.

How to make a request

You can make a request verbally or in writing by using the contact details below.

The Data Protection Officer
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD

Email dpo@scotcourts.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 444 3335

Although applications can be made verbally, there is no legal requirement to fill in the forms to complete a request. We ask for the relevant form, which can be downloaded from the links below, as it helps to process requests more efficiently and it is less likely that we need to seek additional clarification.

• SAR Form
• Other Individual Rights Form

You can obtain a hard copy by contacting us using the details above. These forms are generally the best way to explain the information you hope to obtain: this will allow us to focus any search to the most relevant information.

To help establish your identity, we will generally request photocopies of TWO official documents, which between them clearly show:

• your name
• your date of birth
• your current address

For example, a photocopy of a driving licence, birth/adoption certificate, passport and any other official document that shows your name and address.

Once satisfied with the identification provided it will be deleted from our systems/confidentially disposed of and not retained any longer than required by SCTS.

We will aim to reply to you within the legal deadline of one calendar month, unless the request is complex in which case we can extend this timeframe by a further two months.

Making a complaint to SCTS

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the SCTS privacy notice, how your personal data is being processed or any response you have received to an individual rights request, you have the right to raise a data protection complaint. SCTS has a data protection complaints policy in place that explains how to make a complaint. 

Please contact the SCTS Data Protection Officer in the first instance using the contact information above or the Data Protection Complaints Form.

We will acknowledge your complaint within one calendar month and provide a response without undue delay.

Making a complaint to the Information Commissioner (ICO)

If after receiving a response from the SCTS Data Protection Officer you still have concerns that your personal data was not dealt with in accordance with data protection law, you may write to the UK Information Commissioner, who may do one of the following:

• make an assessment as to whether it is likely or unlikely the SCTS has complied with data protection law
• issue enforcement proceedings if satisfied that SCTS has contravened one of the data protection principles
• recommend that you apply to court alleging a failure to comply with the subject access provisions of data protection law

The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Email: icocasework@ico.org.uk

Website: www.ico.org.uk

Related documents

Records management plan

What we can tell you about criminal cases

Sheriff Court Retention Schedule

Justice of the Peace Retention Schedule